What is the best internet provider in Bellevue?
Quantum Fiber is Bellevue’s best internet service provider. The service is CENT’s top value-for-money pick for its combination of speed and price. It’s a true fiber connection, so you’ll get symmetrical upload and download speeds on all plans. Quantum Fiber also offers a price-for-life guarantee, which is an extremely valuable benefit.
If you want to pay the lowest prices possible, Xfinity and Ziply Fiber have the cheapest internet in Bellevue, with plans starting at $20 monthly. Unfortunately, that price goes up significantly in the second year, but both providers offer an array of affordable options. Ziply Fiber also has the fastest internet in Bellevue (and the entire country), with speeds going up to an unfathomably high 50,000Mbps.
Verizon 5G Home Internet and T-Mobile Home Internet both offer wireless internet services in Bellevue. Although they’re not quite as reliable as wired options in the area, you can save significantly on both by bundling them with an eligible cellphone plan.
Best internet in Bellevue, Washington
Bellevue internet providers compared
| Provider | Internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | Monthly equipment costs | Data cap | Contract | CNET review score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Astound Broadband Read full review |
Cable, fiber | $20-$55 | 100-1,500Mbps | Varies | None | None | 7 |
| CenturyLink Read full review |
DSL | $55 | Up to 100Mbps | $15 (optional) | None | None | 6.7 |
| Quantum Fiber | Fiber | $50-$95 | 500-2,000Mbps | None | None | None | 6.7 |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review |
Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$50 with eligible mobile plans) | 72-245Mbps | None | None | None | 7.4 |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review |
Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$45 for eligible Verizon Wireless customers) | 50-1,000Mbps | None | None | None | 7.2 |
| Xfinity Read full review |
Cable | $20-$95 | 150-2,000Mbps | $15 (included in most plans) | 1.2TB | Optional | 7 |
| Ziply Fiber | Fiber | $20-$900 | 100-50,000Mbps | $10 (optional) | None | None | 7.2 |
Show more (3 items)
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What’s the cheapest internet plan in Bellevue?
| Provider | Starting price | Max download speed | Monthly equipment fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xfinity Connect Read full review |
$20 | 150Mbps | $15 (optional) |
| Ziply Fiber 100/100 | $20 | 100Mbps | $10 (optional) |
| Astound Broadband Read full review |
$20 | 100Mbps | Varies |
| Astound Broadband Read full review |
$35 | 600Mbps | Varies |
| Xfinity Connect More Read full review |
$35 | 300Mbps | None |
| Quantum Fiber | $50 | 500Mbps | None |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review |
$50 ($35 with eligible mobile plans) | 245Mbps | None |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review |
$50 ($35 with eligible mobile plans) | 300Mbps | None |
Show more (4 items)
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
How to find internet deals and promotions in Bellevue
The best internet deals and the top promotions in Bellevue depend on what discounts are available during that time. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers.
Bellevue internet providers, such as Xfinity and Verizon, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Many including T-Mobile Home Internet and Quantum Fiber, run the same standard pricing year-round.
For a more extensive list of promos, check out our guide on the best internet deals.
Fastest internet plans in Bellevue
| Provider | Starting price | Max download speed | Max upload speed | Data cap | Connection type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ziply Fiber 50 Gig | $900 | 50,000Mbps | 50,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
| Ziply Fiber 5 Gig | $80 | 5,000Mbps | 5,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
| Ziply Fiber 2 Gig | $70 | 2,000Mbps | 2,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
| Quantum Fiber | $95 | 2,000Mbps | 1,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
| Xfinity Gigabit X2 Read full review |
$95 | 2,000Mbps | 300Mbps | 1.2TB | Cable |
| Astound Broadband Read full review |
$55 | 1,500Mbps | 1,500Mbps | None | Fiber |
| Xfinity Gigabit Read full review |
$75 | 1,000Mbps | 170Mbps | 1.2TB | Cable |
| Ziply Fiber Gig | $60 | 1,000Mbps | 1,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
| Verizon 5G Home Plus Internet Read full review |
$70 ($45 with eligible mobile plans) | 1,000Mbps | 75Mbps | None | Fixed wireless |
| Astound Broadband Read full review |
$45 | 940Mbps | 940Mbps | None | Fiber |
| Quantum Fiber | $75 | 940Mbps | 940Mbps | None | Fiber |
Show more (7 items)
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What’s a good internet speed?
Most internet connection plans can now handle basic productivity and communication tasks. If you’re looking for an internet plan that can accommodate videoconferencing, streaming video or gaming, you’ll have a better experience with a more robust connection. Here’s an overview of the recommended minimum download speeds for various applications, according to the FCC. Note that these are only guidelines and that internet speed, service and performance vary by connection type, provider and address.
For more information, refer to our guide on how much internet speed you really need.
- 0 to 5Mbps allows you to tackle the basics: browsing the internet, sending and receiving email and streaming low-quality video.
- 5 to 40Mbps gives you higher-quality video streaming and videoconferencing.
- 40 to 100Mbps should give one user sufficient bandwidth to satisfy the demands of modern telecommuting, video streaming and online gaming.
- 100 to 500Mbps allows one to two users to simultaneously engage in high-bandwidth activities like videoconferencing, streaming and online gaming.
- 500 to 1,000Mbps allows three or more users to engage in high-bandwidth activities at the same time.
How CNET chose the best internet providers in Bellevue
Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest smartphone, laptop, router or kitchen tool, it’s impractical to personally test every ISP in a given city. What’s our approach? We start by researching the pricing, availability and speed information, drawing on our own historical ISP data, the provider sites and mapping information from the Federal Communications Commission at FCC.gov.
It doesn’t end there: We go to the FCC’s website to check our data and ensure we consider every ISP that provides service in an area. We also input local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for residents. We look at sources, including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Power, to evaluate how happy customers are with an ISP’s service. ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent changes; all information provided is accurate as of publication.
Once we have this localized information, we ask three main questions:
- Does the provider offer access to reasonably fast internet speeds?
- Do customers get decent value for what they’re paying?
- Are customers happy with their service?
The answer to those questions is often layered and complex, but the providers who come closest to “yes” on all three are the ones we recommend. When selecting the cheapest internet service, we look for the plans with the lowest monthly fee, although we also factor in things like price increases, equipment fees and contracts. Choosing the fastest internet service is relatively straightforward. We look at advertised upload and download speeds and consider real-world speed data from sources like Ookla and FCC reports. (Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.)
To explore our process in more depth, visit our how we test ISPs page.
Internet providers in Bellevue FAQs
What is the best internet service provider in Bellevue?
Quantum Fiber is Bellevue’s best internet service provider, offering fast, symmetrical speeds at reasonable prices. Additionally, Quantum Fiber includes a price-for-life guarantee on all of its plans. It’s not available at all addresses in the city. If you can’t get it, Xfinity, Ziply Fiber and Verizon 5G Home Internet are all good backup options.
Is fiber internet available in Bellevue?
Yes, fiber internet is available to 30% of Bellevue households, according to FCC data. Astound Broadband, Quantum Fiber and Ziply Fiber all offer fiber-optic internet service in the area.
What is the cheapest internet provider in Bellevue?
Xfinity and Ziply Fiber offer starting prices of $20 monthly for home internet in Bellevue. Prices increase significantly after a year with both providers.
Which internet provider in Bellevue offers the fastest plan?
Ziply Fiber offers the fastest internet plan in Bellevue — and the entire country. Speeds go up to an astounding 50,000Mbps, far faster than any residential home needs. Ziply also offers more reasonable speeds.
